GRECIAN WAR

Inangahua Times, 2 December 1940, Page 3

GRECIAN WAR

Mopping Up Of Enemy Forces In Albania REINFORCEMENTS STIFFEN ITALIAN RESISTANCE Submarine Sunk By Greek Destroyer (United Press Assn —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, November 30. Reports from Albania indicate that there has been a pauso in the rapid advance while the Greeks are mopping up local Italian forces. The Italians are doing their utmost to bring up reinforcements, the first of which have already considerably stiffened the resistance in the heavy fighting in the central sector. The Greeks are repelling with bayonets Italian counter-attacks. The Greeks, after a bitter attack in this region, captured some important heights which previously had been a serious obstacle to their advance.

The Greeks west of Korea advanced to a point 20 miles west of Moscopolye. The Italians are retiring toward Elbasan where a second line of defence is being prepared. The Italians west of North Pogradec are also apparently aiming to base their next resistance on Elbasan. The Greeks' southern advance continues methodically. An Italian communique states: "Our troops on the Greek front have tenaciously opposed the enemy attacks and have carried out effective local counter-attacks at some points. Two air squadrons were occupied throughout the day bombing military objectives and enemy positions." Eleven transports have arrived at Durazzo and the troops have hastily disembarked and been hurried to the front. Mussolini has appointed General Alfredo Guzzoni as Assistant War Minister as part of a big reshuffle in the hope of turning the tide by counter offensive. A Greek communique states that a Greek destroyer sank an Italian submarine while escorting a merchant convoy. Greek air raid casualties in the first month of the war totalled 640 dead of which gasyalties 74 were women, 1 20 children and 32 kajjtef, One thousand and seventy were injured,

ENGLISHWOMEN UNDER ARREST

LONDON, Nov SO. It is authoritatively stated that the Government is aware that the Gerimans have sentenced to death an Englishwoman, Winifred Harle, proprietress of a secretarial establishment in Paris. It is believed that she was accused of listening to 8.8. C. broadcasts and distributing copies. The American authorities have persuaded Berln to reconsider the case. There is no information about Florence Friekard, also reported to have been sentenced to death In Paris.' Another Englishwoman, May James, was arrested in Paris and has been in a military prison for about a fortnight. It is believed that she was accused of espionage and illegal possession of a wireless transmitter.

UNITED RESISTANCE

Turlco-Yugoslavian ' Assurance GERMAN FAILURE CITED LONDON, Nov 29. The "Dally Telegraph’s" diplomatic correspondent understands that Turkey and Yugoslavia have both given an assurance to Greece of united resistance if any German attempt is made to rescue Italy in Albania. The main body of the army in Serbia would join the Greeks in defending Salonika and surroundings. The Ankara radio stated that it must toe emphasised that the war is developing remarkably in, favour of Britain. The Germans had not obtained their desires from Molotov and Russia was reluctant to enter into closer relations with the jAxis. Attempts to incorporate his panoFrance in the new order failed and Bulgaria and Yugoslavia are the next objectives of the Axis diplomatic offensive but with the political aspects of Bulgaria and Yugoslavia returning to normal, one cannot see any successes that the future fnay hold for Axis diplomacy. Bulgaria has definitely given up the idea of joining the Axis.

AIR ACTIVITY

South-east England Bombed

HEAVY REPRISAL RA'D BY NAZIS London Casualties Hravirr Than First Thought RUGBY, Nov 30. Three enemy aircraft were destroyed today while the R.A.F. lost ' two fighters, the pilots of which, however, are safe, states a comjpunique which adds that during today, enemy sir Htwty

BRITISH AIRCRAFT BUSY

was mainly concentrated on the southeast of England and that bombs were ' dropped In several places in this area. During the morning a small number of raiders succeeded in reactfipg London and dropped a few bo{mbs, but there was no great damage and few casualties. Enemy attacks last night were mainly directed against the London area and Imany fires were started, but few were serious. Most of them were soon put out and all were under control by the early hours of the morning. A number of houses and some other buildings ware damaged and a few people were killed and others were injured. Bombs were also dropped in places in southern and southeastern England and one point in the southwest. At a few of these places fires were caused and houses were damaged. The number of casualties reported from all these areas

is small. )A.t Liverpool and one other place in northwest England, bolmbs were dropped which caused very few casualties and little damage. Described by the Nazi as a heavy reprisal attack,” last night’s raids over Britain were subject to a further Ministry of Home Security eomknunique, which states: Fur " ther details are now available of the raids on London last night and on the Merseyside the previous night. These confirm that the casualties on the Meyseysido, as a whole, were not heavy but that a number of persons were killed and injured. One building received a direct hit. * . . . "Casualties in London last night were somewhat heavier than at first thought.”

FRESH ATTACKS ON GERMAN OCCUPIED PORTS RUGBY, Nov 30. British bolmbers last night made a successful attack on communications and inland port installations at Cologne. An Air Ministry communique states: They also bombed naval shipyards at Bremen and other forces of aircraft attacked the ports of Cologne, Le Havre and several enemy aerodromes. (Ml our aircraft returned safely.

I RUMANIAN ROYAL FAMILY BUCHAREST, Nov 30. Court officials say that King Michael is still at the Palace and that Queen Helen went to Italy on October 21st at her own wish. FIGHTERS’ SUCCESS AGAINST GERMAN BOMBERS LONDON, Nov 90. The Air Ministry states that while fighting off a series of German bombing attacks against a dainaged British destroyer, R.A.F. fighters, without loss, shot down I throe planes and damaged one,

HEAVY RAID ON LONDON CASUALTIES IN PUBLIC HOUSES LONDON; Nov 30. Comparative quiet during London’s nights was broken by the heaviest raid for some tijme. Heavy bomb in the London area killed 7 and injured several. Most of the casualties occurred in two public houses. Two ambulance men were killed and three wardens seriously Injured. . The audience in a London cinema, when an incendiary blazed up, remained calm while the -staff dealt with the bomb. A lone raider bo'mbed an eastern town and one was killed and three were seriously Injured. _ SPEECH BY RUSSIAN PRESIDENT RUMANIAN MISSION ARRIVES IN MOSCOW MOSCOW, Nov 30. President Kalinin, in a speech, said that Russia was a tremendous fortress covering one-sixth of the world’s surface but that the other five-sixths were held by “our unprincipled and irreconcilable enemies.”l The Rumanian mission has arrived in Moscow to negotiate a trade agreement. GERMANS INTERNED IN IRELAND DUBLIN, Nov 30. It is officially stated that five members of the German plane which crashed on the Kerry coast were interned. One was injured.